ABOUT THE AUTHOR

The Kurdistan Region of Iraq (KRI) continues to face sober political, social and economic crises, with ramifications across the KRI and beyond. Since September 2017, tensions between the central government in Baghdad and the Kurdistan Regional Government in Erbil have hit a new high in the wake of the crisis caused largely by the Kurdistan Referendum for independence on September 25, 2017.

Influenced by such tensions, the relations between Baghdad and Erbil have deteriorated rapidly, and are in desperate need for reconciliation and restoration.

To help address these issues, MERI brought together on 13 December, 2017, KRI’s top political leaders, representing the main political parties with the aim of debating and exploring possible avenues to address the internal Kurdish fragmentation as well as mend fences with Baghdad.

Participants unanimously agreed that holding a referendum is a legitimate means for the people of Kurdistan Region to express their rights. However, the outcomes, resulted in deeper internal fractions, exacerbated long-existing structural weaknesses and negatively impacted the unity of Kurds in the KRI. The referendum has also demonstrated a miscalculation by KRI leaders of international and regional interests as well as KRI’s weak geopolitical position.

Participants were also in agreement that it would be more constructive for the KRI leaders to avoid dwelling on the past and instead seek forward-looking solutions that help unify the Kurdish stance. In order to create and maintain unity, political parties must first adopt roadmap for genuine reforms, particularly militarily such as unifying Peshmarga forces, and economic such as fighting corruption and fair management of natural resources.

It was also reiterated that it is paramount to reform the system of governance in the KRI whereby, among other things, the status of opposition is clearly defined, respected, and afforded the opportunity to meaningfully participate in the political process. The opposition, in return, is expected to function within the confinements of established political norms. Moreover, decision makers should be incorporated into the parliament and government in order to strengthen these institutions by transferring power from the political parties to the institutions of democracy.

Finally, with regard to Erbil-Baghdad relations, it was stressed that KRI leaders should prioritise dialogue with Baghdad, within the confinements of the Iraqi constitution and the rulings of the Federal Supreme Court of Iraq. To help initiate dialogue, KRI leaders should exploit all available channels to bring the stalemate between Baghdad and Erbil to an end. Concurrently, KRI leaders should engage in deeper discussions at the highest levels and across the political landscape in both the KRI and Iraq.